(03-20-2012, 01:53 PM)per_passionem_eius Wrote: Sources seem to vary on the days between confessions during which receiving Communion, a plenary indulgence can be gained (by also doing one of the prescribed works). I've seen within 8 days (before or after), which means, if you confess every 2 weeks, you can gain a plenary indulgence at every Mass during that period. But I've also seen within 20 days, which means, if you go once a month. The priests I've asked have all confirmed my original teaching of 8 days, and I'm happy with that. I wonder though why I see so few Catholics going to confession this regularly. Maybe they go privately, or elsewhere. I'm just wondering. Thank you for indulging me!

Also you must mean that the prescribed prayer to the Holy Father and to be completely free from even venial sin are the basic conditions to gain a plenary indulgence. Don't know about the "20 days."

N.B. As an aside, can an SV ever be able to gain a plenary indulgence when one of the conditions is to pray for the intentions of the Pope? I have been told that you pray for the intention of the Church. But where the pope is there's the Catholic Church = no pope, where's the Church? Just saying.

(03-21-2012, 12:19 AM)Vincentius Wrote: N.B. As an aside, can an SV ever be able to gain a plenary indulgence when one of the conditions is to pray for the intentions of the Pope? I have been told that you pray for the intention of the Church. But where the pope is there's the Catholic Church = no pope, where's the Church? Just saying.

Having checked long ago before becoming a Catholic, in the old pre-Conciliar reform days, one of the rquirements is that one must be a subject of the grantor (little known fact, but Bishops can issue indulgences) to receive an indulgence. I assume that is still the rule. An SV would not consider himself subject to the Pope.

I wondered:
1/ If one has earned a partial indulgence, so little be it, that means that he will never end in Hell because the eternity shortened of some months, that remains eternity anyways.
2/ Is it possible that a man who has won a plenary indulgence for a deceased relative, then having lost the faith years later may end into Hell when he will die?

(03-21-2012, 08:39 AM)maso Wrote: I wondered:
1/ If one has earned a partial indulgence, so little be it, that means that he will never end in Hell because the eternity shortened of some months, that remains eternity anyways.
2/ Is it possible that a man who has won a plenary indulgence for a deceased relative, then having lost the faith years later may end into Hell when he will die?

1. We must be in a state of grace to gain an indulgence, even a partial one. An indulgence, partial or plenary, remits temporal punishment.

2. It's possible, yes. The indulgence is granted to a soul in a state of grace, and once it's granted, it won't be taken away. If the person who gained it is damned, that would be because he died in a state of mortal sin, and any indulgences he won for a soul in Purgatory, would not save his soul, although, it would be counted as a charitable act, and this would influence his judgement, as would all his other charitable acts. But all the charitable acts in the world might not save our souls. Only if we die in a state of grace.